[Jefito’s Note: She’s been a critic’s darling for most of her career, but the public at large has always been mostly unaware of Sam Phillips’ music, which is why I…
Popdose Guides
124 Articles
Jeff Giles
15 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: His first Idiot’s Guide was a controversial one for many of you Á¢€” but I loved it, and he wanted to come back for more, so this week,…
Jeff Giles
29 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: Now this is an Idiot’s Guide Á¢€” 33 years and approximately 600 albums of music, all boiled down into a relatively manageable few thousand words (and few dozen…
Jeff Giles
12 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: This week and next, I’m proud to be Idiot-ing alongside John from Lost in the ’80s. Aside from being one of this site’s earliest and most steadfast champions,…
Jeff Giles
12 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: I was all set to write this myself, honest I was Á¢€” and then Jeff Ash, proprietor of the frequently wonderful AM, Then FM, made the mistake of…
Jeff Giles
9 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: One of the coolest things about this blog’s ascent to mild renown has been the occasional visit from artists I’ve covered here. Even cooler is the fact that…
Jeff Giles
3 Min Read
In the Eye of the Storm (1984)purchase this album (Amazon)The Setup: The higher-pitched half of Supertramp’s songwriting/vocal duo strikes out on his own, hoping to prove the whole was less…
Jeff Giles
13 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: I’m hoping our next new Idiot’s Guide (taking a look at the J. Geils Band) will be ready next week. In the meantime, here’s a repeat of one…
Jeff Giles
9 Min Read
He’s one of his generation’s most wonderfully unique songwriters, but Joe Henry has always been arguably better-known for things having nothing to do with his songs Á¢€” being married to…
Jeff Giles
22 Min Read
For the first decade or so of his career, John Hiatt was a case of mostly unfulfilled potential. Everyone knew he was a good songwriter Á¢€” particularly other songwriters Á¢€”…
Jeff Giles
22 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: Nope, this isn’t a joke — welcome to The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Slayer, written by none other than reader harmolodic, who you may remember as the author…
Jeff Giles
17 Min Read
HereÁ¢€â„¢s one IÁ¢€â„¢ve been meaning to get to for a long time now Á¢€” Jules Shear has always been on my list of perfect IdiotÁ¢€â„¢s Guide artists. Many of you…
Jeff Giles
5 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: I’ve been thinking about starting this series for awhile now; the way I see it, these Hooters and Peter Wolf CDs I’ve got lying around might as well…
Jeff Giles
11 Min Read
It hasn’t quite turned into a Behind the Music-style formula yet, but — as our pal David pointed out to me, when he was in the throes of his They…
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Jeff Giles
7 Min Read
If sales are any indication, you haven’t listened to David Baerwald’s work. Here’s why you should.
Jeff Giles
14 Min Read
[JefitoÁ¢€â„¢s Note: At four and counting, our pal Eric Grubbs of Theme Park Experience has written more IdiotÁ¢€â„¢s Guides than anyone other than yours truly, and if current plans are…
Jeff Giles
12 Min Read
She’s been steadily releasing well-crafted albums on a more-or-less consistent basis for nearly 20 years, and her music defies easy pigeonholing. Consequently, since her early ’90s breakthrough, Mary Chapin Carpenter…
Jeff Giles
12 Min Read
[Note: Given some of the stuff I’ve admitted here in the past, I have no problem letting you all know that I’m one of the folks that our pal Eric…
Jeff Giles
13 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: Another week, another brilliantly guest-blogged Idiot’s Guide! This one’s brought to you by John Bergstrom, certified FOJ (that’s Friend of Jefitoblog to you, mister) and writer for PopMatters….
Jeff Giles
4 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: And so concludes our three-part look at Pet Shop Boys, brought to you and me by the good graces of John from Lost in the ’80s. Pet Shop…
Jeff Giles
3 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: This week’s installment of our three-part look at Pet Shop Boys is, like Part One, brought to you courtesy of the wit and wisdom of John from Lost…
Jeff Giles
4 Min Read
[Jefito’s Note: Today begins a three-part Idiot’s Guide to Pet Shop Boys, written with typical wit and flair by our pal John from Lost in the ’80s. You read it…
Jeff Giles
15 Min Read
Okay, okay, I know. Artists like Paul Simon don’t really need Idiot’s Guides. Who hasn’t heard of Paul Simon, or heard a bunch of his music? Then again, there’s a…
Jeff Giles
11 Min Read
Though they were never hugely successful in terms of hit singles or record sales, Little Feat are inarguably one of the great American rock & roll bands. That you may…
Jeff Giles
11 Min Read
I’ve had the conversation plenty of times now, but I’m always stunned when it takes place: Me and a friend or acquaintance, jawing about music, extolling the virtues of this…
Jeff Giles
5 Min Read
It’s April at last, and spring is officially in the air. What better time to devote an entire Idiot’s Guide to my favorite jazz musician of all time, Kenny G?…
Jeff Giles
8 Min Read
When last we left Peter Himmelman, he was leaving (or being pushed out of) the major-label world, and heading for indier pastures. Far from signaling an end to his career…
Jeff Giles
8 Min Read
Peter Himmelman. It’s one of those names that, nine out of ten times, will get you a quizzical look; the tenth time, though, you’d better pull up a chair, sit…
Jeff Giles
7 Min Read
Though he’s easily one of my favorite artists, I’ve held off on writing a Willy Porter Guide for awhile now; his output just doesn’t seem large enough to warrant the…
Jeff Giles
24 Min Read
[Jefito’s note: Elo, kiddies, and welcome to the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cheap Trick! This week’s entry is an unexpected, pleasant surprise for me — a couple of weeks ago,…